Amazing Destinations of Northern Vietnam 14 Days

Discovery Amazing Destinations of Northern Vietnam 14 Days offers amazing bays, beautiful caves, stunning rice terraced fields and breathtaking scenery. During the tour, you will visit the best attractions with different sites at each place from easy pace of Hanoi, Ninh Binh or Halong Bay to hard climbing in the mountainouse areas of Sapa, Hoang Su Phi or Cao Bang all of which will be obtained in 14 days.

Day 01: Hanoi arrival - Hanoi city tour

Day 02: Hanoi - Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan - Ba Be Natural Park

Day 03: Ba Be - Boat Trip - Cao Bang

Day 04: Cao Bang - Ban Gioc waterfalls - Nguom Ngao cave

Day 05: Cao Bang - Bac Me - Bao Lac

Day 06: Bao Lac - Hidden Land - Meo Vac - Dong Van

Day 07: Dong Van - Ha Giang - Hoang Su Phi

Day 08: Hoang Su Phi - Trekking - Bac Ha

Day 09: Bac Ha - Y Ty Lodge

Day 10: Y Ty - Muong Hum market - Sapa

Day 11: Sapa - Trekking - Hanoi

Day 12: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu - Van Long - Hanoi

Day 13: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Overnight on cruise

Day 14: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Departure

Day 01: Hanoi arrival - Hanoi city tour

Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, you will be welcomed by our guide and transfer to the city center for hotel check-in. Take you out for lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy an afternoon tour explore Hanoi Capital - a blend of the modern with the mystery and charm of past centuries, Hanoi offers an air of elegance and harmony with nature. Your sightseeing begins with a visit Ba Dinh Square to see Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum - the museum to his life and the simple cottage where he lived and worked. Then visit Presidential Palace, house on stilts and One Pillar pagoda (locally known as Chua Mot Cot) originally built in 1040 A.D. on a pillar constructed of a single large tree trunk. Then also visit Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature), which dates back to 1070 and is dedicated to the cult of Confucius.

Next, visit beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, known as the Lake of the Restored Sword. Later, take a cyclo ride through the Hanoi’s Old Quarter, a network of narrow alleys and shop houses also known as “The 36 Streets.” This is a wonderful place to watch the local life, and peruse items from fabrics to crafts to exotic medicines. In the evening, join in the puppet show on the water. Overnight stay in Hanoi.
 

Day 02: Hanoi - Thai Nguyen - Bac Kan - Ba Be Natural Park

After breakfast, depart to Ba Be, stop over to visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which focuses on the 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. Continue to Thai Nguyen through green tea hills with several stops on the way. Visit villages Tay Village, San Chi Village and Cao Lan Village. Lunch is served at a local restaurant before continue your road trip to Ba Be. When arriving Ba Be, you will be staying in a large traditional stilt house and enjoy a cup of tea. Then, visit Hua Ma Cave - the most beautiful and largest cave in the region. Take a walk around the village to discover daily life of the Tays ethnic. Enjoy your dinner and overnight stay with Tays people.

Day 03: Ba Be - Boat Trip - Cao Bang

Having breakfast, discover all of the most beautiful and quiet nooks nestled in Ba Be Lake by cruise. Ba Be Lake lies in the middle of the vast limestone mountain range of Ba Be National Park with large and small islands of limestone rising out of the water, many of which can be explored as you kayak around. There are also several caves with beautiful rock formations that have developed over millions of years. You will be cruising from Nang River to Puong Cave dug into the limestone cliff and then discover Dau Dang Waterfalls. Have lunch then go back to where you stay and depart to Cao Bang. Drive through beautiful landscapes, forests and ethnic villages. Stop over at a market in Cao Bang. Dinner and 1 night stay over in Cao Bang.
 

Day 04: Cao Bang - Ban Gioc waterfalls - Nguom Ngao cave

Enjoy your breakfast and head to Trung Khanh - a border district, sharing an over 63-km-long border with China. Cross amazing landscapes, Tays Village and Nungs Village before entering to Ban Gioc Waterfall - one of the most beautiful falls of the Far North of Vietnam. Enjoy your lunch then, visit Nguom Ngao Cave - the most beautiful cave of the region. Enjoy your dinner at a local restaurant and an overnight stay in Cao Bang.
 

Day 05: Cao Bang - Bac Me - Bao Lac

Breakfast at the hotel then depart to Bao Lac crossing beautiful landscapes, visit colorful local markets of multiple ethnic minorities on the way, cross karst mountains and beautiful valleys and to meet with multiple ethnic minorities. This trip will allow you to take beautiful photos. Upon arrival, check in at the hotel. Take a walk to discover the villages. Enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.
 

Day 06: Bao Lac - Hidden Land - Meo Vac - Dong Van

Breakfast the hotel, depart to Khuoi Khon Village, discover of the life and their daily occupations. Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant. Then, head to Dong Van via Meo Vac. Stop at several places for photos, then, visit the Heavenly Gate, the Fairy Mountains and its fabulous landscapes ... Arrive in Dong Van at the end of the day, check-in a hotel. Dinner is served at a local restaurant and an overnight at Dong Van.
 

Day 07: Dong Van - Ha Giang - Hoang Su Phi

After breakfast, visit French colonial market right next to Ancient houses that are over 400 years old, continue your trip to Dong Van, unique stone plateau in Vietnam. Visit Royal Palace of King Hmông, Vuong Chi Sinh, a well-known historic site dating back to the colonial. Lunch is served at a local restaurant. Continue to Ha Giang, visit Fairy Breast Mount, Heavenly Gate Quan Ba ​​and continue to Hoang Su Phi through fabulous landscapes: terraced rice fields, ethnic villages and mountains. Arrive at Hoang Su Lodge. Enjoy your dinner and join in the traditional dancing show of the populated ethnic groups in the Hoang Su Phi area. Overnight in a bungalow overlooking a beautiful valley.
 

Day 07: Dong Van - Ha Giang - Hoang Su Phi

After breakfast, start hiking discovering ethnic villages around Hoang Su Phi Lodge: Red Daos ethnic, Daos Ao Dai and H'mongs. Back to Hoang Su Phi Lodge for lunch and drive to Bac Ha in the afternoon. Drives pass Xin Man and arrive Bac Ha, check-in at a homestay then walk around the villages, exlore the Tays culture. Enjoy your dinner and stay overnight at the Tays ‘s homestay.
 

Day 09: Bac Ha - Y Ty Lodge

Breakfast at the homestay, then, visits Bac Ha Weekly Market, one of the most beautiful and colorful ethnic markets in Lao Cai. After that, transfer to Y Ty through beautiful roads of Northeast Vietnam. Drive pass different ethnic minorities: the Nungs people, Tays people, flowering Hmong people. Stop over for some picture and lunch is served at a local restaurant. You will be arriving Y Ty in the afternoon, check-in at Y Ty Lodge. Discover White H’mongs Village and Ha Nhi typical mud house. Enjoy your dinner and overnight at Y Ty Lodge.

Y Ty a borderland of Vietnam and China, home to the H'mong and Ha Nhi. Travelers tend to visit Ty Y instead of Sapa touristic town. Ways better than Sapa, Y Ty is more authentic and less touristy. 
 

Day 10: Y Ty - Muong Hum market - Sapa

After breakfast, visit Muong Hum Market – a Sunday Market, where the most colorful costumes of all Flower H’Mong, Blue H’Mong, Black H’Mong, Red Dao, Giay, Ha Nhi, Tu Di… are gathered in the local market. Leaving Muong Hum Market and enjoy your trip to Sapa - climatic resort and resort of the french bourgois. Drive through Ban Khoang Commue to Ta Giang Phin Village – beautiful and less touristy places. Enjoy your dinner and an overnight stay in Sapa.
 

Day 11: Sapa - Trekking - Hanoi

Have breakfast and start trekking around Sapa, discovering Ma Tra Village and Ta Phin, the land of H'mongs and Red Daos. Hike through rice terraces and ethnic villages and stop for lunch at a local family. Then, return to Hanoi through grandiose landscapes, rural villages and expanses of rice paddies. You will be arriving Hanoi at the end of the day and stay overnight.
 

Day 12: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu - Van Long - Hanoi

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel before transferring to Hoa Lu - one of the most famous sites in Vietnam for its remains and impressive limestone peaks. Visit the two Temples of Kings: Dinh Tien Hoang Temple and The Dai Hanh Temple dating from the 10th century. Continue with a sampan cruise that makes you discover the Van Long "National Reserve Center" by contemplating karst rocks shaped sugar loaf and fishing activities. Enjoy your lunch at homestay lunch in Van Long. Then, back to Hanoi for an overnight stay.
 

Day 13: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Overnight on cruise

08:00 – 08:30, Depart to Ha Long Bay through the expanses of rice paddies of the delta of the Red River. Stop at Hai Duong Province for a short rest, you can see Vietnamese handicrafts factory: embroidery, sculpture, lacquered paint ...

12:00 – 12:30, Arrive in Ha Long, boarding the junk for a welcome drink and taking the cabin to drop the belongings.

13:00 – 15:30, Lunch on board during the cruise through the legendary landscapes: islands, islets and karst reefs...

15:30 – 16:30, Kayaking in a quiet place to discover the most quiet and beautiful nooks and crannies hidden in Ha Long Bay: Bo Nau Cave "Pelican Cave".

16:30 – 17:30, Continue this beautiful cruise to Soi Sim Beach – a non-touristic beach for swimming, tanning or a beautiful panoramic view Ha Long Bay.

17:30, Back on the junk on the sunset, enjoy some relaxing moment.

19:00, A dinner on junk, then, enjoy a night fishing.
 

Day 14: Halong Bay - Hanoi - Departure

06:30 – 07:00, Wake up early to admire the sunrise and for beautiful photos. Join in Tai Chi session with a Vietnamese teacher.

07:30 – 08:30, Breakfast on board.

08:30 – 09:30, Discovery Surprising Cave, the largest and most beautiful cave in Ha Long Bay.

09:30, Return on the junk.

09:30 – 10:30, Continue the cruise through floating villages of the fishermen.

10:30 - 11:30, Join in a cooking class on board, make spring rolls and taste what you’ve learnt.

12:00 – 12:30, Back to pier.  

Drive to Hanoi via the new road that crosses the vast expanses of rice of the Red River Delta. Stop over at Pottery Village; chance to participate in the manufacturing stages with the artists. Then, transfer to Noi Bai International Airport.